-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Officials from the Massachusetts Port Authority issued an apology Wednesday after conducting a fire training exercise at Boston Logan International Airport on the 12th anniversary of the September 11 attacks .

`` The fire department will be training this morning . Smoke on the airfield is part of the training , '' the airport 's Twitter account announced .

In response to negative reactions on social media sites , the port authority , which operates the airport , said in a statement , `` Massport apologizes for conducting the fire training exercise and understands that it may have offended many of those touched by the events of Sept. 11 . ''

`` It 's just dumb , '' Gov. Deval Patrick said . `` The timing could not be worse . ''

American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 traveled out of Logan and struck the World Trade Center towers in New York City after being hijacked on September 11 , 2001 .

The terror attack orchestrated by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden killed 2,977 people in New York City ; Washington , DC ; and Pennsylvania , in the worst such attack in U.S. history .

Steve MacDonald , spokesman for the Boston Fire Department , told CNN on Wednesday that the department had no involvement and that the airport used its own fire department for the exercise .

`` Safety and security is our top priority and constant vigilance and readiness is critical , but the exercise should not have taken place on the anniversary of 9/11 , '' Massport 's apology stated . `` The airport community recognizes the day with moments of silence , a service in the chapel , and a wreath at the 9/11 memorial . ''

In an unrelated act of vandalism , police are trying to find out who placed two cardboard cutout images of crashing planes at the 9/11 Memorial in downtown Lafayette , Louisiana , according to CNN affiliate KATC .

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Boston Logan International Airport holds fire training exercise on anniversary of 9/11

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Massachusetts Port Authority issues apology in response to harsh condemnation

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Gov. Deval Patrick : `` The timing could not be worse ''